A Mother's Gratitude: How Volvo’s Safety Features Saved Her Daughter

After picking up her children from school, they set off toward the arena, where a beloved team was celebrating its 80th anniversary. The event promised excitement, but no one could have predicted the near-tragedy that would unfold on their way there.

As they approached, the scale of the celebration became evident. Cinnamon buns were being handed out, there was a bouncy castle, face painting, kids' hockey goal for shooting practice, and much more. A DJ played loud music over the large intersection they needed to cross. The children were beyond excited, eagerly pointing at everything they wanted to try. With no queues in sight, it felt like an amusement park waiting just for them.

The road leading to the arena was wide, with a central reservation separating the lanes of traffic. As they reached the reservation, the lights turned red, so Stephanie stopped. Holding her seven-year-old daughter in one hand and her five-year-old son in the other, she could feel their excitement growing. They eagerly discussed what they would try first.

“Can we go there, Mum?!” they asked repeatedly. She reassured them that as soon as the lights turned green, they could go. Holding their hands tightly, she waited for the signal.

As soon as the light changed, her daughter suddenly let go and sprinted forward into the road. At that exact moment, a car approached, with its driver having a green light to turn right. Due to the curve of the road, the driver did not see that Stephanie and her children had also been given a green light. Instead of slowing down as he approached the pedestrian crossing, the driver accelerated.

Stephanie reacted instantly. She screamed, "STOP!" at the top of her lungs. Thankfully, her daughter stopped right in the middle of the road and turned to look at her mother. Their eyes met—her daughter smiled. That moment, that glance, was one Stephanie would never forget.

Letting go of her son’s hand, she leapt into the street just as the car—an Volvo XC40—slammed on its brakes, skidding on the gravel still left from winter. The vehicle came to a stop just one metre from her daughter, who stood frozen in front of the bonnet.

For a moment, everything stood still. Stephanie wrapped her daughter tightly in her arms, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what had just transpired. The world around them seemed to pause. Then, taking both her children’s hands, they crossed the road. The children, still unaware of how close they had come to tragedy, dashed straight to the kids' hockey goal and started playing, unaware of how the situation could’ve abruptly changed the course of their lives.

Safe Space Technology
At Volvo Cars, we aim to create a safe space inside and around our cars, using cutting-edge technology to help protect not only you and your passengers, but also others on the road. This is the essence Of Safe Space Technology, which includes all the standard safety features in every Volvo car. Designed to help keep you safe, Safe Space Technology is continually evolving to offer you even more protection. Read more about Volvo's Vision of Zero Collisions here.